3 vs 1
Played
September 11, 2012 8:00 PM WAT
Stade de France — Paris
Referee:‬ H. Gocek‎
Attendance:‬ 55000‎
 

France - Belarus Preview: Deschamps' men out for revenge after shock defeat of two years ago

The 1998 world champions face the Eastern Europeans in Group I of World Cup qualifying, with the visitors hoping to emulate their 1-0 win in Paris exactly two years ago

By Mohammed Ali

Euro 2012 : Mathieu Valbuena (France vs Belarus) - (Panoramic)
  PROBABLE LINEUPS
FRANCE
France
Lloris
Reveilliere, Sakho, Yanga-Mbiwa, Evra
Capoue/Valbuena, Cabaye, Mavuba,
Menez, Benzema, Ribery

BELARUS

Veremko
Shitov, Polyakov, Verk'tsov, Mar'vich
Putsila, Kislyak, Tsiharow, Kulchiy
Bressan,

Kornilenko

France coach Didier Deschamps will be without Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby, after the 26-year-old starred and scored in Friday's 1-0 win over Finland.

Diaby, who has just returned from an injury-plagued season in north London is reportedly suffering from muscular discomfort, after the impressive performance at the Olympic Stadium. Etienne Capoue and Blaise Matuidi were tipped as replacements, though Deschamps is likely to give a start to the more advanced Mathieu Valbuena on the right side of midfield.

Nevertheless, the former Marseille boss could ring the changes, with Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Adil Rami and Christophe Jallet in line for a starting berth.

Giroud was omitted from Friday's squad due to a minor knock, but trained throughout the weekend, and is fit for contention. Gael Clichy did not train on Sunday.

Belarus coach Georgy Kondratiev is without four first-choice players for the trip to Paris, with the visitors arriving on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Georgia in Tbilisi.

Pavel Nekhaitchik, Maksim Bordatchev (both thigh) Yan Tigorev (tibia) are all sidelined, with Kondratiev set to field a weakened midfield side. 

Sergei Kornilenko will lead the side, with Renan Bressan of BATE Borisov labelled as the visitors' key player. Midfielder Syarhey Kislyak scored the winner as Belarus won at the Stade de France two years ago in the first match of Euro 2012 qualifying.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • France sit atop of Group I along with Georgia following their 1-0 win over Finland.
  • The two sides' last encounter in Paris ended in a shock 1-0 victory for Belarus, during Euro 2012 qualifying.
  • Didier Deschamps' side have never beaten Belarus in two attempts.
  • Belarus commenced World Cup qualifying with a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Georgia.
  • The Eastern European side are still yet to taste defeat against the French, drawing 1-1 in Minsk in June 2011.
  • Belarus are ranked 76th in the world by Fifa, moving up one place from the previous month.
  • Yan Tsiharow is in line to make his 25th appearance for the national team.


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Head to Head
World Cup Qualification 2014 (Europe) ‎(WCQE)‎ Sep 11, 2012 France 3 - Belarus 1
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Euro 2012 ‎(EC)‎ Jun 3, 2011 Belarus 1 - France 1
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Euro 2012 ‎(EC)‎ Sep 3, 2010 France 0 - Belarus 1
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Last Five Matches
France
Mar 26, 2013France 0 - Spain 1WCQE
Mar 22, 2013France 3 - Georgia 1WCQE
Feb 6, 2013France 1 - Germany 2FR
Nov 14, 2012Italy 1 - France 2FR
Oct 16, 2012Spain 1 - France 1WCQE
Belarus
Mar 25, 2013Canada 0 - Belarus 2FR
Mar 21, 2013Jordan 1 - Belarus 0FR
Feb 6, 2013Hungary 1 - Belarus 1FR
Nov 14, 2012Israel 1 - Belarus 2FR
Oct 16, 2012Belarus 2 - Georgia 0WCQE
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